Ultra-high resolution light modulation control system and method

Abstract

A microscopic optical structure controller for providing singular control of individual microscopic optical structures of a microelectromechanical optical device by a multiplexed stream of individual pixel values generated by a pixel value source. The microscopic optical structure controller includes at least one interconnect coupled to the pixel value source for receiving the multiplexed stream of individual pixel values and at least one mapper communicating with the interconnect for extracting individual pixel values from the multiplexed stream and applying the individual pixel values to one or more individual microscopic optical structures according to a configurable mapping. A method and a driver for providing singular control of individual microscopic optical structures of a microelectromechanical optical device are also disclosed.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates generally to spatial light modulators. More particularly, the present invention relates to improved resolution in microelectromechanical optical devices.2. Related ArtSpatial light modulators (SLM) have found use in a variety of applications, including their use in image displays. Of particular interest are SLM manufactured using microelectromechanical systems technology (MEMS), such as a grating light valve (GLV) or digital mirror device (DMD). Operation of MEMS optical devices is similar, relying on mechanical deflection of microscopic optical structures fabricated on the device to reflect or diffract impinging light.For example, a grating light valve (GLV) can be used to modulate light intensity to implement a display as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,215,579 issued to Bloom et. al. The GLV is used to modulate light intensity by electrostatic deflection of long thin microscopic optical structures (“ri...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

It has been recognized that it would be advantageous to develop a technique for the control of individual microscopic optical structures of a MEMS optical device while sharing leads for multiple microscopic optical structures, enabling higher (including sub-pixel) resolution, lower lead count, and flexibility in pixel to microscopic optical structure mapping.

Problems solved by technology

Such an approach is impractical for a high-resolution display, however, because a large number of interconnects would be required.

Furthermore, a significant cost component of a packaged GLV is the many bond wires that are required to connect the GLV ribbons to the package pins.

Although operation in this mode provides some advantages in low power consumption and simplified interface, it limits the ability to provide gray scale control of intensity.

This scheme, however, suffers from several limitations; the large number of ribbons per pixel required results in low resolution, and the trade-off between gray-scale resolution and pixel resolution is fixed at manufacturing time.

This approach allows direct control of gray-scale values by applying an analog voltage directly to the groups of ribbons forming a pixel, but still suffers from the limitation that the assignment of ribbons to form a pixel must be fixed at manufacturing time.

The row-column addressing scheme disclosed, however, is only applicable to a GLV operated in the non-linear (digital) mode since it relies on the hysteresis property that the ribbon will snap to the fully deflected position if a voltage exceeding a threshold is applied.

Unfortunately, such a row-column addressing scheme is difficult in a GLV operated in a linear (analog) mode.

In the linear mode, the ribbon deflection is proportional to the applied voltage, and the row-column addressing scheme would result in unacceptable crosstalk between pixels in the same row or column.

Providing sub-pixel resolution in displays has not heretofore been possible.

Although this technique can improve the apparent resolution for some applications (e.g. text display), it is inappropriate for other applications that require bright objects to be placed precisely (e.g. lights in a simulator).

Finally, when projecting images onto non-planer surfaces, image distortion occurs.

Electronic compensation approaches suffer from significant complexity due the intense processing required.

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